DOCSLIB.ORG

Understanding the Concept of Islamic Sufism

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Understanding the Concept of Islamic Sufism Journal of Education & Social Policy Vol. 1 No. 1; June 2014 Understanding the Concept of Islamic Sufism Shahida Bilqies Research Scholar, Shah-i-Hamadan Institute of Islamic Studies University of Kashmir, Srinagar-190006 Jammu and Kashmir, India. Sufism, being the marrow of the bone or the inner dimension of the Islamic revelation, is the means par excellence whereby Tawhid is achieved. All Muslims believe in Unity as expressed in the most Universal sense possible by the Shahadah, la ilaha ill’Allah. The Sufi has realized the mysteries of Tawhid, who knows what this assertion means. It is only he who sees God everywhere.1 Sufism can also be explained from the perspective of the three basic religious attitudes mentioned in the Qur’an. These are the attitudes of Islam, Iman and Ihsan.There is a Hadith of the Prophet (saw) which describes the three attitudes separately as components of Din (religion), while several other traditions in the Kitab-ul-Iman of Sahih Bukhari discuss Islam and Iman as distinct attitudes varying in religious significance. These are also mentioned as having various degrees of intensity and varieties in themselves. The attitude of Islam, which has given its name to the Islamic religion, means Submission to the Will of Allah. This is the minimum qualification for being a Muslim. Technically, it implies an acceptance, even if only formal, of the teachings contained in the Qur’an and the Traditions of the Prophet (saw). Iman is a more advanced stage in the field of religion than Islam. It designates a further penetration into the heart of religion and a firm faith in its teachings. Ihsan, the third quality, is the highest stage of spiritual advancement. At this stage the devotee has such a realization of the religious truths which amounts almost to their direct vision. This quality of Ihsan, which was later termed as Mushahidah (Direct seeing) by the Sufis, is described in the Tradition by the Prophet (saw) as: “Ihsan is to adore Allah as though thou do see Him for even if thou do not see Him, He nonetheless sees thee.” According to these three stages of religiosity, Sufism may be defined as the Spiritual Progress of a devotee from the initial stage of Islam to the final stage of Ihsan.2 Macdonald in his book,” the Religious Attitude p. 159, writes, ‘From the earliest times there was an element in the Muslim church which was repelled equally by traditional teaching and intellectual reasoning. It felt that the essence of religion lay elsewhere; that the seat and organ of religion was in the heart. In process of time, all Islam became permeated with this conception, in different degrees and various forms. More widely than ever with Christanity, Islam became and is a mystical faith.3 Sufism in the sense of ‘mysticism” and quietism”, was a natural development of the ascetic tendencies which manifested themselves within Islam during the Umayyad period.4 To understand Sufism, we must understand mysticism. The Greek root myein, “to close the eyes,” is also the root of “mystery”; the mystic’s goal is not to be reached by the intellect or by ordinary means. Fundamentally, mysticism is love of the Absolute, the One Reality, also called Truth, Love, or God. According to Sarraj’s classic definition of Sufism, “The Sufis are people who prefer God to everything and God prefers them to everything else.”5 Sufism is necessary because it is to Islam what the heart is to body.6 There is no Sufism without Islam because Sufism is the spirituality or Mysticism of the religion of Islam.7 It is said that science deals with the universe outside us, and spirituality with the universe inside us.8 Thus, Sufism can be said to be a movement which aims at making people good and better Muslims. It is a call to them to actualize truly and internally those teachings of Islam they have accepted only formally or intellectually as part of their inheritance.9 A Sufi relinquishes the worldly pleasures, the cheap sensations, the materialism and the corruptions, but not in the least withdraws from the worldly living. He earns his own bread and is never a parasite or a menace to the society. 55 © Center for Promoting Ideas, USA www.jespnet.com He abides by the Shari’at, the cannon law of Islam, goes by Tariqat, the Spiritual Path, to achieve Abudiat i.e. The Unity with the Allah, his beloved.10 Etymology of the Word Sufi On the origin of the word of Sufi, and its adoption, there are many different opinions among the learned. The following is a list of the various Arabic and other words which are supposed to be the origin of the word of Sufi:- 1. Safaa-which means cleanliness, particularly the purity of heart, soul and actions of a man. 2. Ahle Suffa-During the life time of Holy Prophet (saw) there were certain ascetics (Zahids and Abids) whose sole occupation in life was nothing but continuous study and recitation of the Holy Qur’an, meditation, prayers and absolute devotion to God in the Prophet’s historical mosque at Medina. 3. Suff-means row [Those Muslims who always tried to offer their Namaz (prayers) in the coveted first row of the ‘five daily’ congregations during the Prophet’s (saw) time]. 4. Soofa-It is the name of an old Arab tribe who were dedicated to the service of Kaaba (Mecca). 5. Safoot-ul-Qafa-The hair that grows at the back of the neck. 6. Siyu Soofia-It is a Greek word which means Divine knowledge. 7. Sufana-A kind of Plant. 8. Soof-means Wool. According to Imam-Al- Qushairi, “Those who had the good fortune of being in the company of the Holy Prophet (saw) in his lifetime and his descentants after the Prophet’s (saw) death commanded special respect and status by virtue of this distinction which they enjoyed in the Islamic Society. They were therefore, distinguished as 1) Sahaaba 2) Taabayeen and 3) Taba Taabayeen. After their respective periods came the Zahid and Abid classes of pious persons and succeeding them, another particular class of ascetics came on the scene that were called Sufis. By the end of 200 A.H, the word of Sufi, had become the recognized title or badge of all Muslim mystics, According to Maulana Jami, the first person to assume the title of Sufi was Sheikh Abu Hasham Kufi (died 150 A.H.) 11 Many different opinions and interpretations have been offered concerning the derivation of the word sufi· 1. Abu Rayhan Biruni derived the word sufi from the Greek sophia, meaning wisdom, which also forms the root of the word "philosophy" (philo + sophia, "the love of wisdom"). Biruni maintained that Muslims who held views similar to those of the Greek sages were given this name. 2. The best-known opinion on the origin of the word is that it comes from suf, meaning '’wool," and signifies "pertaining to wool," the term being used because Sufis wore woolen robes. From ancient times it was the custom of ascetics, the poor, and the pious to wear such garments. As the Prophet (saw) of Islam said, "You should wear garments of wool that you may find in your hearts the sweetness of faith." (Kashf al-mahjub). Shehab ad-Din Sohravardi, in his classic of Sufism, the 'Avaref al- ma'aref, cites the following tradition, attributed to Anas ebn Malek, "The Messenger of God would accept invitations even from slaves, ride upon donkeys, and wear (coarse) woolen clothes." Moreover, both Jesus and Moses, according to legend, also used to wear wool. Hasan of Basra has related that he met seventy of the Prophet's Companions, veterans of the Battle of Badr, and that all of them wore wool. Jalal aI-Din Rumi also considered wool the appropriate dress for Sufis. The Sufis chose to wear wool to indicate their rejection of the luxuries of the world and to demonstrate to those who desired to enter the Spiritual Path that Sufism demanded ascetic practices.12 In short, a number of derivations have been proposed at different times for the term Sufi, but it is now quite certain that it is derived from the word suf, “wool,” which view is confirmed by the equivalent pashmina-push, “wool-wearer,” applied to these mystics in Persian.13 Definitions of Sufism Sufism, the religious philosophy of Islam is described in the oldest extant definition as ‘the apprehension of divine realities,’ and Mohammedan mystics are fond of calling themselves Ahl al- Haqq, ‘the followers of the Real.’14 The Gnostic view of Sufism has been very popular with modern scholars, both western and eastern. They render Sufism as Islamic or Muslim Mysticism, and understand by that term the attempt of the people believing in Islam to know the mysteries of life and the world. 56 Journal of Education & Social Policy Vol. 1 No. 1; June 2014 Reynold Nicholson the most outstanding of all western Scholars of Sufism begins his discussion of Sufism by quoting the words of Ma’ruf ‘l- kharki (d.200/815) which he translates as: ‘Sufism is the apprehension of Divine Realities’. Titus Burckhardt, another eminent scholar, goes a step further when he makes doctrine, not only apprehension, the criterion of real Sufism, the basis as well as the goal of the Sufi Tariqah.15 Sufi masters have offered numerous and seemingly varied definitions of Sufism and the Sufi. These differences, however, arose only from the fact that each master was speaking from his own spiritual station to the station and level of understanding of his listeners.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Sufi Reading of Jesus
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by The University of Sydney: Sydney eScholarship Journals... Representations of Jesus in Islamic Mysticism: Defining the „Sufi Jesus‟ Milad Milani Created from the wine of love, Only love remains when I die. (Rumi)1 I‟ve seen a world without a trace of death, All atoms here have Jesus‟ pure breath. (Rumi)2 Introduction This article examines the limits touched by one religious tradition (Islam) in its particular approach to an important symbolic structure within another religious tradition (Christianity), examining how such a relationship on the peripheries of both these faiths can be better apprehended. At the heart of this discourse is the thematic of love. Indeed, the Qur’an and other Islamic materials do not readily yield an explicit reference to love in the way that such a notion is found within Christianity and the figure of Jesus. This is not to say that „love‟ is altogether absent from Islamic religion, since every Qur‟anic chapter, except for the ninth (surat at-tawbah), is prefaced In the Name of God; the Merciful, the Most Kind (bismillahi r-rahmani r-rahim). Love (Arabic habb; Persian Ishq), however, becomes a foremost concern of Muslim mystics, who from the ninth century onward adopted the theme to convey their experience of longing for God. Sufi references to the theme of love starts with Rabia al-Adawiyya (717-801) and expand outward from there in a powerful tradition. Although not always synonymous with the figure of Jesus, this tradition does, in due course, find a distinct compatibility with him.
    [Show full text]
  • Sammamish Masjid Is Seeking a Full Time Imam
    Sammamish Masjid is seeking a full time Imam Background &Summary Sammamish Masjid is located in the beautiful Pacific North West, around 15 miles east of Seattle. Sammamish is a beautiful city with more than 200 Muslim families living in and around its vicinity. The Sammamish Muslim community represents Sunni Muslims from a diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This community is growing fast, and requires a dynamic leader/imam for its Masjid to fulfill the religious needs of this growing community. The Imam will liaise with Muslim worshippers at the Sammamish Masjid, will ensure that Imam Responsibilities (listed below) are performed to the highest satisfactory level of the Sammamish Muslim Community. The Imam is expected to grow and develop a strong community relationship (not limited to the Muslim community). In addition to the day to day Imam Responsibilities, the Imam will lead liaison between the Sammamish Muslim community and other Muslim communities in the Puget Sound Area. The Imam will participate in events that will promote the unification of all Muslim communities in the region as well as outreach events with non-Muslim communities. Bonding especially with the youth to educate and train them in Islamic traditions and etiquettes are some of the crucial functions the Imam is expected to lead. The individual will adhere to the Sammamish Muslim Association (SMA) by-laws, and report directly to the SMA Trustee chairman, and SMA board through its president or as delegated in special circumstances. RESPONSIBILITIES Lead the five daily prayers during what is to be agreed upon as working days. (working days will be prescribed and agreed upon by the board and the Imam to accommodate two days off per 7-day week – Friday, Saturday, and Sunday excluded) Conduct Friday Jumuah prayer sermon including a youth dedicated Jumuah Conduct Ramadan prayers, including Quiyam U’Leil, and Taraweeh Participate in the development of curriculum for after school and weekend educational programs for kids of all ages.
    [Show full text]
  • Hadith and Its Principles in the Early Days of Islam
    HADITH AND ITS PRINCIPLES IN THE EARLY DAYS OF ISLAM A CRITICAL STUDY OF A WESTERN APPROACH FATHIDDIN BEYANOUNI DEPARTMENT OF ARABIC AND ISLAMIC STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW Thesis submitted for the degree of Ph.D. in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Glasgow 1994. © Fathiddin Beyanouni, 1994. ProQuest Number: 11007846 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 11007846 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 M t&e name of &Jla&, Most ©racious, Most iKlercifuI “go take to&at tfje iHessenaer aikes you, an& refrain from to&at tie pro&tfuts you. &nO fear gJtati: for aft is strict in ftunis&ment”. ©Ut. It*. 7. CONTENTS Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................4 Abbreviations................................................................................................................ 5 Key to transliteration....................................................................6 A bstract............................................................................................................................7
    [Show full text]
  • Rituals of Islamic Spirituality: a Study of Majlis Dhikr Groups
    Rituals of Islamic Spirituality A STUDY OF MAJLIS DHIKR GROUPS IN EAST JAVA Rituals of Islamic Spirituality A STUDY OF MAJLIS DHIKR GROUPS IN EAST JAVA Arif Zamhari THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY E P R E S S E P R E S S Published by ANU E Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] This title is also available online at: http://epress.anu.edu.au/islamic_citation.html National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Author: Zamhari, Arif. Title: Rituals of Islamic spirituality: a study of Majlis Dhikr groups in East Java / Arif Zamhari. ISBN: 9781921666247 (pbk) 9781921666254 (pdf) Series: Islam in Southeast Asia. Notes: Includes bibliographical references. Subjects: Islam--Rituals. Islam Doctrines. Islamic sects--Indonesia--Jawa Timur. Sufism--Indonesia--Jawa Timur. Dewey Number: 297.359598 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Cover design and layout by ANU E Press Printed by Griffin Press This edition © 2010 ANU E Press Islam in Southeast Asia Series Theses at The Australian National University are assessed by external examiners and students are expected to take into account the advice of their examiners before they submit to the University Library the final versions of their theses. For this series, this final version of the thesis has been used as the basis for publication, taking into account other changesthat the author may have decided to undertake.
    [Show full text]
  • Surrender and Realisation: Imam Ali on the Conditions for True Religious Understanding
    Surrender and realisation: Imam Ali on the conditions for true religious understanding Author: James Winston Morris Persistent link: http://hdl.handle.net/2345/2213 This work is posted on eScholarship@BC, Boston College University Libraries. Published in Vincit Omnia Veritas, pp. 197-179 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. Surrender and Realisation: Imam Ali on the Conditions for True Religious Understanding James Morris Do not seek to know the Truth (al-Haqq) according to other people. Rather first come to know the Truth—and only then will you recognise Its people.1 One of the most striking characteristics about those surviving oral traditions that have come down to us from the earliest periods of each of the world-religions—as with the Gospels, the earliest Buddhist teachings, or the Prophetic hadith—is the distinctive directness, simplicity, and extreme concision of those original oral teachings. It is as though everything else that follows is only a kind of endlessly extended commentary on those few simple words. Certainly this is true of many of the surviving sayings attributed to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (d. 40/660)— including the short, but highly memorable passage that is the focus of this study, which has inspired repeated commentaries and elaborate theological and even dramatic interpretations down through the centuries. The wider significance of this particular passage is that it illustrates so perfectly Ali's emblematic role as the fountainhead of virtually all the esoteric traditions of Islamic spirituality, both among the many 1 A well-known saying commonly attributed to Ali, here as cited by al-Ghazali at the beginning of his famous spiritual autobiography, the Munqidh min al-Daial.
    [Show full text]
  • Islamic Liberation Theology Reading List
    ISLAMIC LIBERATION THEOLOGY READING LIST Note: In the spirit of robust inquiry and discussion, we chose to present authors from a wide range of intellectual and political commitments, some of whose writings conflict with others, and some we may not even agree with ourselves. This list is not an endorsement of all the texts, authors, and their views, but rather a starting point for critically exploring the place of Islam in liberation, justice, solidarity, and the long work ahead to transform our communities. GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND FEMINISM Sexual Ethics and Islam: Feminist Reflections on Qur'an, Hadith, and Jurisprudence by Kecia Ali Before Homosexuality in the Arab-Islamic World, 1500-1800 by Khaled El- Rouayheb American Muslim Women, Religious Authority, and Activism: More Than a Prayer by Juliane Hammer Women of the Nation: Between Black Protest and Sunni Islam by Dawn-Marie Gibson and Jamillah Karim Homosexuality in Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Muslims by Scott Kugle Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject by Saba Mahmood Being Muslim: A Cultural History of Women of Color in American Islam by Sylvia Chan-Malik The Veil And The Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation Of Women's Rights In Islam by Fatima Mernissi The Imperial Harem: Women and Sovereignty in the Ottoman Empire by Leslie P. Peirce Sufi Narratives of Intimacy: Ibn Arabi, Gender and Sexuality by Sa'diyya Shaikh Inside the Gender Jihad: Women's Reform in Islam by Amina Wadud LAW AND THEOLOGY Islamic Family Law in a Changing World: A Global Resource Book by Abdullahi A.
    [Show full text]
  • Intra-Faith Dialogue in Mali What Role for Religious Actors in Managing Local Conflicts?
    Intra-faith dialogue in Mali What role for religious actors in managing local conflicts? The jihadist groups that overran the north and imams, ulema, qur’anic masters and leaders of parts of central Mali in 2012 introduced a ver- Islamic associations. These actors were orga- sion of Islam that advocates the comprehen- nised into six platforms of religious actors sive enforcement of Sharia law. Despite the based in Gao, Timbuktu, Mopti, Taoudeni, Mé- crimes committed by these groups, some naka and Ségou. These platforms seek to communities perceive them as providers of se- contribute to easing intra-faith tensions, as well curity and equity in the application of justice. as to prevent and manage local conflicts, These jihadist influences have polarised com- whether communal or religious in nature. The munities and resulted in tensions between the examples below illustrate their work. diverse branches of Islam. Against this background, in 2015 the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) began facilitating intra-faith dialogue among nearly 200 local MOPTI Ending competitive recitals of the Quran For nearly 40 years, the young of religious actors in engaging gious leaders asked the talibés or religious students with the talibés. groups to suspend “Missou”, around Mopti have regularly which they agreed to do. The The platform identified around competed in duels to see who groups’ marabouts were relie- 30 recital groups, mostly in can give the most skilful reci- ved to see that other religious Socoura, Fotama, Mopti and tal of the Quran. Known as leaders shared their concerns Bandiagara, and began awar- “Missou”, these widespread about these duels and added eness-raising efforts with se- duels can gather up to 60 their support to the initiative.
    [Show full text]
  • The Differences Between Sunni and Shia Muslims the Words Sunni and Shia Appear Regularly in Stories About the Muslim World but Few People Know What They Really Mean
    Name_____________________________ Period_______ Date___________ The Differences Between Sunni and Shia Muslims The words Sunni and Shia appear regularly in stories about the Muslim world but few people know what they really mean. Religion is important in Muslim countries and understanding Sunni and Shia beliefs is important in understanding the modern Muslim world. The beginnings The division between the Sunnis and the Shia is the largest and oldest in the history of Islam. To under- stand it, it is good to know a little bit about the political legacy of the Prophet Muhammad. When the Prophet died in the early 7th Century he not only left the religion of Islam but also an Islamic State in the Arabian Peninsula with around one hundred thousand Muslim inhabitants. It was the ques- tion of who should succeed the Prophet and lead the new Islamic state that created the divide. One group of Muslims (the larger group) elected Abu Bakr, a close companion of the Prophet as the next caliph (leader) of the Muslims and he was then appointed. However, a smaller group believed that the Prophet's son-in-law, Ali, should become the caliph. Muslims who believe that Abu Bakr should be the next leader have come to be known as Sunni. Muslims who believe Ali should have been the next leader are now known as Shia. The use of the word successor should not be confused to mean that that those that followed the Prophet Muhammad were also prophets - both Shia and Sunni agree that Muhammad was the final prophet. How do Sunni and Shia differ on beliefs? Initially, the difference between Sunni and Shia was merely a difference concerning who should lead the Muslim community.
    [Show full text]
  • Islamic Calendar from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
    Islamic calendar From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -at اﻟﺘﻘﻮﻳﻢ اﻟﻬﺠﺮي :The Islamic, Muslim, or Hijri calendar (Arabic taqwīm al-hijrī) is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used (often alongside the Gregorian calendar) to date events in many Muslim countries. It is also used by Muslims to determine the proper days of Islamic holidays and rituals, such as the annual period of fasting and the proper time for the pilgrimage to Mecca. The Islamic calendar employs the Hijri era whose epoch was Islamic Calendar stamp issued at King retrospectively established as the Islamic New Year of AD 622. During Khaled airport (10 Rajab 1428 / 24 July that year, Muhammad and his followers migrated from Mecca to 2007) Yathrib (now Medina) and established the first Muslim community (ummah), an event commemorated as the Hijra. In the West, dates in this era are usually denoted AH (Latin: Anno Hegirae, "in the year of the Hijra") in parallel with the Christian (AD) and Jewish eras (AM). In Muslim countries, it is also sometimes denoted as H[1] from its Arabic form ( [In English, years prior to the Hijra are reckoned as BH ("Before the Hijra").[2 .(ﻫـ abbreviated , َﺳﻨﺔ ﻫِ ْﺠﺮﻳّﺔ The current Islamic year is 1438 AH. In the Gregorian calendar, 1438 AH runs from approximately 3 October 2016 to 21 September 2017.[3] Contents 1 Months 1.1 Length of months 2 Days of the week 3 History 3.1 Pre-Islamic calendar 3.2 Prohibiting Nasī’ 4 Year numbering 5 Astronomical considerations 6 Theological considerations 7 Astronomical
    [Show full text]
  • Islamic Esotericism in the Bengali Bāul Songs of Lālan Fakir Keith Cantú [email protected]
    Research Article Correspondences 7, no. 1 (2019): 109–165 Special Issue: Islamic Esotericism Islamic Esotericism in the Bengali Bāul Songs of Lālan Fakir Keith Cantú [email protected] Abstract This article makes use of the author’s field research as well as primary and secondary textual sour- ces to examine Islamic esoteric content, as mediated by local forms of Bengali Sufism, in Bāul Fa- kiri songs. I provide a general summary of Bāul Fakiri poets, including their relationship to Islam as well as their departure from Islamic orthodoxy, and present critical annotated translations of five songs attributed to the nineteenth-century Bengali poet Lālan Fakir (popularly known as “Lalon”). I also examine the relationship of Bāul Fakiri sexual rites (sādhanā) and principles of embodiment (dehatattva), framed in Islamic terminology, to extant scholarship on Haṭhayoga and Tantra. In the final part of the article I emphasize how the content of these songs demonstrates the importance of esotericism as a salient category in a Bāul Fakiri context and offer an argument for its explanatory power outside of domains that are perceived to be exclusively Western. Keywords: Sufism; Islam; Esotericism; Metaphysics; Traditionalism The history of the Bāul Fakirs includes centuries of religious innovation in which various poets have gradually created a folk tradition highly unique to Bengal, that is, Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. While there have been several important works published on Bāul Fakirs in recent years,1 in this ar- ticle I aim to contribute specifically to scholarship on Islamic esoteric con- tent in Bāul Fakiri songs, as mediated by local forms of Sufism.2 Analyses in 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Oman 2019 International Religious Freedom Report
    OMAN 2019 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT Executive Summary The Basic Law declares Islam to be the state religion but prohibits discrimination based on religion and protects the right of individuals to practice other religions as long as doing so does not “disrupt public order or contradict morals.” According to the law, offending Islam or any other Abrahamic religion is a criminal offense. There is no provision of the law specifically addressing apostasy, conversion, or renunciation of religious belief. Proselytizing in public is illegal. According to social media reports, in August police detained and brought in for questioning at least five individuals who had gathered to perform Eid al-Adha prayers a day before the official date announced by the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs (MERA). MERA monitored sermons and distributed approved texts for all imams. Religious groups continued to report problems with opaque processes and unclear guidelines for registration. Nonregistered groups, such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Church of Jesus Christ) and others, remained without permanent, independent places of worship. Non-Muslim groups said they were able to worship freely in private homes and government-approved houses of worship, although space limitations continued to cause overcrowding at some locations. MERA continued to require religious groups to request approval before publishing or importing religious texts or disseminating religious publications outside their membership, although the ministry did not review all imported religious material. In September Catholic and Muslim leaders, including a senior MERA official, attended the inauguration of a new Catholic church in Salalah. In February the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called on the government to remove a number of anti-Semitic titles being sold through the country’s annual state-run Muscat International Book Fair.
    [Show full text]
  • The Islamic Traditions of Cirebon
    the islamic traditions of cirebon Ibadat and adat among javanese muslims A. G. Muhaimin Department of Anthropology Division of Society and Environment Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies July 1995 Published by ANU E Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] Web: http://epress.anu.edu.au National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Muhaimin, Abdul Ghoffir. The Islamic traditions of Cirebon : ibadat and adat among Javanese muslims. Bibliography. ISBN 1 920942 30 0 (pbk.) ISBN 1 920942 31 9 (online) 1. Islam - Indonesia - Cirebon - Rituals. 2. Muslims - Indonesia - Cirebon. 3. Rites and ceremonies - Indonesia - Cirebon. I. Title. 297.5095982 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Cover design by Teresa Prowse Printed by University Printing Services, ANU This edition © 2006 ANU E Press the islamic traditions of cirebon Ibadat and adat among javanese muslims Islam in Southeast Asia Series Theses at The Australian National University are assessed by external examiners and students are expected to take into account the advice of their examiners before they submit to the University Library the final versions of their theses. For this series, this final version of the thesis has been used as the basis for publication, taking into account other changes that the author may have decided to undertake. In some cases, a few minor editorial revisions have made to the work. The acknowledgements in each of these publications provide information on the supervisors of the thesis and those who contributed to its development.
    [Show full text]